A Cry in the Dark

Updated March 8, 1999 12:01 a.m. ET

Since the end of World War II, Japan has sought to maintain the lowest-possible military profile; not only to assuage the fears of its neighbors but also because the atomic ending of the war turned many Japanese into bona fide peaceniks. The passive defense posture mandated by Japan's constitution was further abetted by the presence of an American security umbrella. The upshot has been that, apart from an occasional outburst from the die-hard brigade, Japan usually appears on the world stage in the role of conscientious...